“You mean to raise Alina’s morale.”
“No, I mean foreveryone,” she gritted.
“If you say so.” I shrugged, glancing at my book, but the huff that came from her made a smile tug at my lip.
“What is your problem anyway, hmm?” Phoebe glared. “Always questioning things. You’ve not been here for more than a week and suddenly you know better?”
“I know a devoted friend when I see one.” I smiled.
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“You fuss over the wrong things.”
“It is my job to do so. How else do we manage a Nest?”
“You know that isn’t what I’m speaking of.”
“Now you are just talking to talk.” She brushed me off with a gesture and returned to her embroidery.
“Do you ever do anything for yourself, Phoebe?” I snapped my book shut and rested it on my lap, reclining back against the couch. The other girls glanced up from their things before averting their gazes. “You give her everything.”
“I do not!” she raised her voice.
“Not yet.”
“You say that like it’s a sure thing.”
“Unrequited love does terrible things. I’ve seen it all before.” I tilted my head at her, watching her reaction. “Like letting their friends take everything, letting it consume them until they are thanking the other for cleaning the meat from their bones.”
There was a fire in Phoebe’s eyes, but she said nothing. Surely she must know there was some truth to what I said.
“Ah! What do I know,” I chuckled. “I’m just a simple old man who has lived too many lives.”
A creaking came from the doorway.
Both of our heads snapped in the direction of Edith, who startled at the movement.
Phoebe’s expression soured when she saw the little blonde.
“Apologies if I am interrupting.” Edith stepped into the room, looking over at Phoebe. “Would I be able to borrow some of your cannabis?”
“Why?” Phoebe continued with her embroidery, not giving her the decency to look at her while she spoke.
“I have a toothache.”
“You’re a nurse; why didn’t you grab some from the hospital?”
“Because I didn’t have a toothache while I was there,” Edith huffed, frustrated with the line of questioning. “Please?”
“No.”
Edith’s hands balled up into fists, unable to sort through her frustration and not sure how to counter Phoebe. The other girls held inconspicuous smirks as they pretended not to listen.
“Edith, come here.” I patted my leg to ask her to sit. “I’ll look at it for you. I might have something stashed somewhere.”
The others glanced up when I made my gesture, glancing between me and the timid blonde. Edith seemed just as, if not more, surprised than the others. Phoebe glared at me, her fine fingers pinching her needle extra hard.
Am I disrupting your power trip? Amusing.
